Chico's FAS, Inc. Reports Third Quarter Results

FORT MYERS, Fla., Nov. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Cost Reduction and Operating Efficiency Initiatives Drive Significant Earnings Growth

• GAAP earnings per share up $0.27to $0.18 compared to last year
• Non-GAAP earnings per share up $0.07, or 54%, to $0.20 compared to last year
• Company on track to deliver double digit operating margin

Chico's FAS, Inc. (NYSE: CHS) today announced its financial results for the fiscal 2016 third quarter and thirty-nine weeks ended October 29, 2016.

For the thirteen weeks ended October 29, 2016 ("the third quarter"), the Company reported net income of $23.6 million, or $0.18 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $11.6 million, or $0.09 per diluted share, for the thirteen weeks ended October 31, 2015. The Company reported third quarter 2016 adjusted net income of $26.4 million, or $0.20 adjusted earnings per diluted share, compared to adjusted net income of $17.7 million, or $0.13 adjusted earnings per diluted share, in last year's third quarter. The adjusted results exclude EPS net charges of $0.02 in 2016 and $0.22 in 2015 related to restructuring and strategic charges and Boston Proper, as presented in the accompanying GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliation.

For the thirty-nine weeks ended October 29, 2016, the Company reported net income of $77.7 million, or $0.58 per diluted share, compared to net income of $23.0 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2015. The Company reported adjusted net income of $93.2 million, or $0.70 adjusted earnings per diluted share, compared to adjusted net income of $99.7 million, or $0.70 adjusted earnings per diluted share, in 2015. The adjusted results exclude EPS net charges of $0.12 in 2016 and $0.54 in 2015 related to restructuring and strategic charges and Boston Proper, as presented in the accompanying GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliation.

Shelley Broader, CEO and President, said, "Our third quarter earnings exceeded expectations. As a result of our efforts to transform Chico's FAS for the future, we were able to achieve significant earnings growth and are demonstrating considerable progress toward our goal of double digit operating margin. We are fully engaged in the implementation of our cost reduction and operating efficiency initiatives, and our continued progress reinforces our confidence in the company's strategic plan. The improvements across the organization, additional recent hires, customers' positive response to new merchandising initiatives, and other brand specific actions underway are re-energizing the company and fortifying our foundation for revenue and earnings growth and sustainable value creation." 

Net Sales

For the third quarter, net sales were $596.9 million compared to $645.4 million in last year's third quarter. This decrease of 7.5% included $18.7 million related to Boston Proper. When excluding Boston Proper from fiscal 2015, net sales decreased 4.8%, primarily reflecting a decline in comparable sales of 4.9%, comprised of reduced transaction count and lower average dollar sale.  Third quarter average unit retail increased with a decline in promotional activity.

Comparable Sales

Gross Margin

For the third quarter, gross margin was $230.3 million, or 38.6%, compared to $249.2 million, or 38.6%, in last year's third quarter. When excluding Boston Proper from fiscal 2015, gross margin decreased 40 basis points in fiscal 2016 compared to gross margin of $244.2 million, or 39.0% last year. This 40 basis point decrease from the 2015 adjusted gross margin rate primarily reflects an improvement in merchandise margin, which was more than offset by deleverage of occupancy costs and incentive compensation.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

For the third quarter, selling, general and administrative expenses ("SG&A") were $188.4 million, or 31.6%, compared to $226.3 million, or 35.1% last year. When excluding Boston Proper from fiscal 2015, SG&A decreased $27.3 million, or 280 basis points, compared to $215.6 million, or 34.4% last year. This $27.3 million decrease is primarily due to a reduction in unproductive marketing spend and savings in store labor, partially offset by an increase in incentive compensation.

Restructuring and Strategic Charges

For the third quarter, the Company recorded pre-tax restructuring and strategic charges of $10.8 million, primarily consisting of outside services related to cost reduction and operating efficiency initiatives (the "Initiatives"). On an after-tax basis, the impact of these charges was $6.8 million, or $0.05 per diluted share.

Income Tax Expense

For the third quarter, the effective tax rate of 22.9% reflected an additional tax benefit on the disposition of Boston Proper's stock and the recognition of additional income tax credits. Excluding the additional tax benefit, the effective tax rate for the third quarter of 2016 would have been 36.2% compared to 37.0% in the same period last year.

Inventories

At the end of the third quarter of 2016, inventories totaled $261.3 million compared to $269.0 million last year. When excluding Boston Proper store inventories from fiscal 2015, inventories decreased $6.0 million, or 2.2%, in the third quarter of fiscal 2016 compared to $267.3 million last year, primarily reflecting improved inventory management.

Share Repurchase Program

During the third quarter of fiscal 2016, the Company repurchased 1.7 million shares for $20.0 million, at an average of $12.13 per share, under its $300.0 million share repurchase program announced in November 2015, with $183.7 million remaining under the program.

Changes in Presentation

Commencing in fiscal 2016, store occupancy expenses and shipping expenses, historically presented in SG&A, are being presented in Cost of Goods Sold. The Company believes that these costs represent direct costs associated with the sale of its merchandise, and these changes better align the Company with its peers and better reflect how the business operates. Additionally, shipping revenue, historically presented in SG&A, is being presented in Net Sales. These adjustments were made retrospectively and all periods presented conform with this presentation.

Fiscal 2016 Fourth Quarter Outlook

The fiscal 2016 fourth quarter outlook excludes Boston Proper for comparability purposes. The Company is anticipating a low single digit comparable sales decline in the fourth quarter compared to last year. We expect improvement in merchandise margin to be more than offset by occupancy deleverage, resulting in a reduction in gross margin rate. We continue to make progress on our Initiatives and expect a decrease in SG&A as a percent of sales; however, the reduction in marketing spend will be at a lower level than recognized in the third quarter.  Fourth quarter total inventory is planned to be lower than last year.

ABOUT CHICO'S FAS, INC.

The Company, through its brands – Chico's, White House Black Market, and Soma is a leading omni-channel specialty retailer of women's private branded, sophisticated, casual-to-dressy clothing, intimates, complementary accessories, and other non-clothing items.

As of October 29, 2016, the Company operated 1,510 stores in the US and Canada and sold merchandise through franchise locations in Mexico. The Company's merchandise is also available at www.chicos.com, www.whbm.com, and www.soma.com. For more detailed information on Chico's FAS, Inc., please go to our corporate website at www.chicosfas.com.

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995
Some statements herein may be "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which reflect our current views with respect to certain events that could have an effect on our future financial performance, including but without limitation, statements regarding our plans, objectives, and the future success of our store concepts, the implementation and success of our previously announced restructuring program and organizational redesign, and the implementation and success of our strategies to increase the our brands' sales volume and profitability through four previously announced focus areas. These statements may address items such as expectations for future sales, gross margin, SG&A (particularly estimated expected savings), operating margin, inventory levels, comparable store sales and cash needs, as well as, planned store openings, closings and expansions. These statements relate to expectations concerning matters that are not historical fact and may include the words or phrases such as "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "estimates," "approximately," "our planning assumptions," "future outlook," and similar expressions. Except for historical information, matters discussed in such oral and written statements are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based largely on information currently available to our management and on our current expectations, assumptions, plans, estimates, judgments and projections about our business and our industry, and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those currently anticipated. Although we believe our expectations are based on reasonable estimates and assumptions, we cannot guarantee their accuracy or our future performance, and there are a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, contingencies, and other factors (many of which are outside our control) that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, there is no assurance that our expectations will, in fact, occur or that our estimates or assumptions will be correct, and we caution investors and all others not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, general economic and business conditions, conditions in the specialty retail or apparel industries, the availability of quality store sites, the ability to successfully execute our business strategies, the ability to achieve the results of our restructuring program, the ability to achieve the results of our four focus areas, particularly the results expected from our current strategic projects related to those focus areas, the integration of our new management team, and those other factors described in Item 1A, "Risk Factors" and in the "Forward-Looking Statements" disclosure in Item 7. "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" of our Form 10-K. There can be no assurance that the actual future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements will occur. Investors using forward-looking statements are encouraged to review the Company's latest annual report on Form 10-K, its filings on Form 10-Q, management's discussion and analysis in the Company's latest annual report to stockholders, the Company's filings on Form 8-K, and other federal securities law filings for a description of other important factors that may affect the Company's business, results of operations and financial condition. All written or oral forward-looking statements that are made or attributable to us are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary notice. The Company does not undertake to publicly update or revise its forward looking statements even if experience or future changes make it clear that projected results expressed or implied in such statements will not be realized.

(Financial Tables Follow)

Executive Contact:
Jennifer Powers
Vice President – Investor Relations
Chico's FAS, Inc.
(239) 346-4199

Supplemental Detail on Earnings Per Share Calculation

In accordance with accounting guidance, unvested share-based payment awards that include non-forfeitable rights to dividends, whether paid or unpaid, are considered participating securities. As a result, such awards are required to be included in the calculation of earnings per common share pursuant to the "two-class" method. For the Company, participating securities are composed entirely of unvested restricted stock awards and performance-based restricted stock units ("PSUs") that have met their relevant performance criteria.

Earnings per share is determined using the two-class method when it is more dilutive than the treasury stock method. Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income available to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share reflects the dilutive effect of potential common shares from non-participating securities such as stock options and PSUs. For the thirty-nine weeks ended October 29, 2016 and October 31, 2015, potential common shares were excluded from the computation of diluted EPS to the extent they were antidilutive.

The following unaudited table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share shown on the face of the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations (in thousands, except per share amounts):

⁽¹⁾ Due to the differences between quarterly and year-to-date weighted average share counts and the effect of quarterly rounding to the nearest cent per diluted share, the year-to-date calculation of generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") diluted EPS may not equal the sum of the quarters.

SEC Regulation G - The Company reports its consolidated financial results in accordance with GAAP. However, to supplement these consolidated financial results, management believes that certain non-GAAP results, which exclude charges and results related to non-continuing Boston Proper operations as well as certain strategic charges, may provide a more meaningful measure on which to compare the Company's results of operations between periods. The Company believes these non-GAAP results provide useful information to both management and investors by excluding certain expenses that impact the comparability of the results.

A reconciliation of net income and earnings per diluted share on a GAAP basis to net income and earnings per diluted share on a non-GAAP adjusted basis is presented in the table below:

⁽¹⁾ All adjustments to net income (loss) are presented net of tax.

⁽²⁾ Due to the differences between quarterly and year-to-date weighted average share counts and the effect of quarterly rounding to the nearest cent per diluted share, the year-to-date calculation of non-GAAP diluted EPS may not equal the sum of the quarters.

SEC Regulation G - The Company reports its consolidated financial results in accordance with GAAP. However, to supplement these consolidated financial results, management believes that certain non-GAAP results, which exclude results from non-continuing Boston Proper operations, may provide a more meaningful measure on which to compare the Company's results of operations between periods.

The tables below present a reconciliation of selected consolidated financial data on a GAAP basis to selected consolidated financial data on a non-GAAP adjusted basis, reflecting certain adjustments as identified in the footnotes to the table and excluding Boston Proper:

⁽¹⁾ Adjustments to net sales represent the correction of an immaterial error in the classification of shipping revenue, which was previously classified within SG&A.

⁽²⁾ Adjustments to store occupancy expense represent the reclassification of store occupancy expenses, which were previously classified within SG&A.

⁽³⁾ Adjustments to shipping expense represent a change in accounting policy to present shipping expenses within cost of goods sold, which were previously reported within SG&A.

As of October 29, 2016 the Company also sold merchandise through 88 international franchise locations, comprised of 7 Chico's stand-alone boutiques, 50 Chico's shop-in-shops, and 31 Soma shop-in-shops.

As of October 29, 2016 the Company also sold merchandise through 88 international franchise locations, comprised of 7 Chico's stand-alone boutiques, 50 Chico's shop-in-shops, and 31 Soma shop-in-shops.

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SOURCE Chico's FAS, Inc.